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Education Secretary Arne Duncan praised a North Carolina school district Wednesday for using financial incentives to bring teachers to underperforming schools. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools' "strategic staffing" plan gives teachers a $20,000 bonus over three years -- and the best principals a 10% salary increase -- to work in the worst-performing schools. "We've seen around the country that if you put great teachers into high-risk, low-performing schools, you will see great results," Duncan said during a visit to the district.

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A majority of states -- 80% -- taking part in survey conducted by the Institute of Education Sciences reported at least one gap in expertise needed to improve the worst-performing schools. Data show most states lacked the staff, technology and expertise to help improve such schools.

A recent report shows that North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg district is spending more per pupil in small, low-income schools and less in large, suburban schools. The district's high-poverty schools also have fewer National Board Certified Teachers, according to the report. Research in the district has shown that students taught by an NBCT outperform their peers who are not. "It doesn't seem to matter how many widgets and gidgets and gadgets are in the school. It matters what we're doing with the students," one board member said.

National Board Certified Teachers have been shown to improve student learning in North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg district, says Peter Gorman, the district's superintendent. But a newspaper analysis shows that NBCTs are less likely to be teaching in poorer schools. Gorman said he is working to persuade NBCTs to work in high-needs schools with increased pay and better working conditions.

National Board Certification could be the major credential needed for teachers to earn better pay in North Carolina's Charlotte-Mecklenburg district, said schools Superintendent Peter Gorman. He says research from the district shows that students perform better when taught by National Board Certified Teachers. Under a possible performance-pay model, NBCTs would be paid more, and seniority or masters degrees would no longer factor into salary.

Budget cuts forced one North Carolina district to lay off 665 teachers this summer, but officials have a plan to rehire some. It is unclear how many teachers will be rehired, but Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Superintendent Peter Gorman said teachers with low performance ratings won't be asked back.